The US drilling rig count increased by 5 units to reach 550 rigs working for the week ended Nov. 5, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 250 units from the 300 rigs working this time a year ago.
The number of rigs drilling on land was up 6 units week-over-week with a total of 535. The number of rigs drilling offshore was unchanged at 13. The number of rigs drilling in inland waters was unchanged at 2.
US oil-directed rigs were up by 6 last week at 450 units. This time a year ago, 226 units were drilling for oil. Rigs targeting gas were unchanged at 100, 29 more than were drilling for gas at this time a year ago.
Of the major oil and gas-producing states, four saw increases. The rig count in Texas increased by 4 to reach 254, while Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania each gained a single rig to reach respective counts of 48, 44, and 18.
New Mexico dropped a single rig to hit 86 rigs working for the week.
Eight states remained unchanged this week, namely North Dakota, 23; Wyoming, 15; Colorado, 12; West Virginia, 11; California, 10; Ohio, 10; Utah, 9; and Alaska, 6
Canada’s rig count decreased by 6 units to 160 rigs drilling for the week. The count is 74 more than the 86 units drilling this week a year ago. At 95 units, Canada’s oil-directed rig count decreased by 3 rigs from last week. The gas-directed rig count in Canada decreased by 3 units to 65 rigs running for the week.